Farmers ''scuffle'' with police in Odisha’s Bargarh over paddy procurement

Bhubaneswar, Nov 10 (PTI) Hundreds of farmers in Odisha’s Bargarh district reportedly clashed with police personnel, while attempting to barge into the collector’s office, demanding registration of names to participate in paddy procurement during the kharif season.

Resentment among the farmers grew after the district-level paddy procurement committee (DLPC) meeting, scheduled to be held on Monday, was postponed, they said.

When the farmers were trying to march towards the office of the district collector, the police personnel prevented them, leading to a scuffle, an officer said.

Bargarh MLA Ashwini Kumar Sarangi claimed that over 4,500 farmers from the district were left out of the paddy procurement process, as they were not able to register themselves due to various reasons.

“It is a genuine demand of the farmers. I have requested the government to include the left-out farmers,” he said.

District Collector Aditya Goyal said the DLPC meeting was postponed as the model code of conduct (MCC) is in force in neighbouring Nuapada for the by-election.

“As far as the farmers’ registration is concerned, we have sent their details to the government department to take a call on it,” Goyal said.

Bargarh is among those districts in Odisha where early paddy procurement begins every year. PTI BBM RBT